Baby Steps
by Makkura Arashi
Summary: I can take you away from it all! I can take you away from your misery, because..I..I love you! Sasuke gazed into those beautiful blue pools. AU Yaoi. NaruSasuNaru. A few other pairings too.


**Disclaimer: **I do not own Naruto or any of it's characters. But I'm sure I will someday in the near future...If i can marry that millionaire guy!

Chapter 1:

The night was cold, the snow flakes scattered this way and that by the chilly breeze. Naruto pulled his coat more securely around him…not that it was much protection tattered as it was, but it gave him some warmth and that was all he wanted. He glanced at his watch and groaned, he was late! His uncle would kill him, if he didn't rush and cook him some dinner. He started to hurry trying not to slip on the slick sidewalk. There were two more alley ways before he reached home, most of the time these alleys housed gangs and he prayed that he wouldn't meet any of them this time! He looked carefully into the first one…it was empty. Sighing in relief he hurried on. In the second one, he spotted o one, but something was heaped on the ground.

Naruto moved a little so that he could have more light…he was stepping on some dark substance. He gasped and almost hit the sidewalk in horror. It was blood! Taking a deep breath he knelt next to the 'heap' and realized that it was a man. You couldn't see any of his features from all the grime and blood on him. After a minute or two of hesitation, Naruto picked up the man and half carried, half dragged him home. He let the man slump against the door as he shuffled around for his keys. At last he got the door open and dragged the man in. he ignored his uncle's curious look from the living room, hoping the ailing man wouldn't try to question him. Much struggling afterwards he got the man into the bathroom and locked its door. Stripping him of the bloody clothes, he hefted the man into the running water. To his dismay the man didn't even twitch.

He cleaned the man and looked over his wounds. Most of them were deep, especially the ones across his chest…those would need stitching. He staunched the flow of blood with a few bandages, deciding to move the man into his room, before trying to stitch him up. For the first time in years he thanked the gods above that he had at least attended the first year of college. He had studied medicine and these were the basic stuff they taught you. That was before Uncle had fallen ill and he had to drop out of college to support the family. He picked up the man once more and carried him to his bedroom.

Naruto fished under his bed for the first aid box he'd kept there. Getting the needle out and threading it with catgut, he first cleaned the wound with some alcohol he had. Then he began to stitch the wound, feeling thankful that the man was asleep. N hour later he was done. He covered the stitch with some sticky bandage and started to clean up. He stiffened as he realized how long he had taken…Uncle would be really mad. He could hear the old man's footsteps on the stairs.

The door opened and the grizzled man stepped in. he glared at the boy. "Where is my dinner boy? You were supposed to get my dinner an hour back! Instead of attending to me you disappear in to your room!" he cuffed Naruto.

Naruto's head snapped back as his uncle hit him. He looked at the ground. "I'm sorry Uncle I found this man in the alley. He was really injured, so I was trying to save him…I had to stitch a few wounds…and…."

His uncle hit him again. "You were tending to some strange man while you were supposed to be taking care of me? I'm all you have boy, but you'd let me die for the sake of a stranger? Is this one of your little doctor fantasies? Well you're not a doctor! You just work at a silly little restaurant! Just live your life the way it is boy, you can't do anything about it! Or would you rather I died?"

Naruto gasped and stared at the man. "Of course not, uncle! Don't even say such a thing. You took me in when I had no one to turn too. I'm sorry for being so careless; I will make your dinner right away!" He almost ran to the kitchen. After making a quick meal he sat with his uncle watching him eat.

The old man looked up. "We cannot afford to feed that boy! What are you going to do? Let him starve? I will not forgo anything for him! You do understand that don't you boy?"

Naruto nodded. "Sorry uncle, he can have my share. He needs it more than I do. I can go without for a while."

His uncle snorted. "Do whatever you want. I cannot imagine how you became so stupid in my care! I never raised you to be a compassionate fool! Get out of my sight!"

Naruto walked out, heading towards his room. _I wonder how much longer I can stand this!_ He felt really guilty the moment he thought that. _I shouldn't be like this. Uncle's always been there for me…even if he is crotchety and grouchy. _

He could hear his uncle get another bottle of whisky out of the cabinet. All the old man did now was drink, leaving Naruto to bear the brunt of the drunken rages and the sole earner. Naruto sighed; he'd better go check on the other boy.

-------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke stirred, his body felt like one big bruise. He opened his eyes carefully, looking out of the window. It was morning; he tried to see if he could remember how he'd gotten to this place. The last thing he remembered was a fight he'd had with about ten men. Something stirred on the floor. Sasuke turned to see a blond head try to cuddle into a jacket, which was being used as a pillow.

He decided to wake him up. "Hey…" his voice came out like a rasp, so he cleared his throat and tried again. It hurt too much to move, so he had to rule out shaking the boy awake. "Hey…blondie…hey! Wake up!"

The blond crinkled up his nose and slowly opened his eyes. Sasuke found himself looking into deep, startled pools of blue. The blond was awake at once. He smiled at the Uchiha.

"Hey, how are you feeling? I tried to patch you up yesterday…did my best, but I think we should go to a hospital." Those pretty blue eyes looked at him in concerned.

Sasuke just gave the boy a once over. "How do you think I feel dobe?"

"Hey, don't call me dobe! Teme! Here I am worrying about you and all you can do is insult me! I should have left you out on the streets…" the blond glared at him. Sasuke almost smiled, he looked so cute when he was riled up.

Suddenly a shout was heard. "Are you awake boy? Get down here and make I breakfast! If you're not down here at once, I'll make sure you can't move!"

The blond cringed. "Uh…I'll go get you some breakfast. See if you can get some more sleep, you'll need rest! I'll be right back."

Sasuke looked at him going out the door and called out. "Who are you dobe?"

Naruto glared. "Don't call me that teme! My name's Uzumaki Naruto." And with that he disappeared down the stairs.

------------------------------------------------------------

Sasuke looked at the door as it opened. Naruto teetered in with a tray. It had an egg, a strip of bacon, two slices of toast and coffee. The blond set it down on the desk and helped the Uchiha sit up. Then he set the tray on the Uchiha's lap.

He looked a little apologetic. "I'm sorry, that's all I can offer you." He licked his lips slightly.

Sasuke shook his head. "It's all right. Thank you." Then he saw Naruto sit and watch him eat. "Hey dobe, aren't you eating too?"

Naruto smiled and shook his head. "I finished breakfast with my uncle. You can't eat this up. I'll pick up a few more things on my way back from work."

Sasuke finished eating, still wondering whether the boy had eaten. He decided to make small talk. "So, dobe where do you work?"

"Ichiraku's. A restaurant a few streets down. Before I go let me have a look at your wounds. I stitched them up yesterday, but I want to see that they'll hold." Naruto grinned again. "But I'm glad you're alive! You were beaten up pretty badly, but there doesn't seem to be too much internal bleeding. You'll be fine and able to walk around in a day of two!"

Sasuke nodded. Then he shrugged off his shirt, so that Naruto could have a look at his wounds. He noted how neat the stitches were. "Were you ever a doctor, dobe?"

Naruto shook his head. "No I just did medicine at college for a year and then I had to drop out, family problems you know. Hey by the way, hat's your name teme?"

"Uchiha Sasuke."

"They named _you_ Sasuke? Why the hell did they name _you_ after a hero, teme?" Naruto asked as he checked the last of the wounds. "After all, I don't think the real Sasuke could be like you…acting like something was shoved up his ass!"

Sasuke glared at the boy, who just grinned widely, before tucking him back into bed. The door opened suddenly. An old man limped in. Naruto looked around and then gave nervous smile. "Uh…Sasuke, meet my uncle Niko. Uncle Niko, this is Sasuke."

Niko growled. "I don't care. Get out working boy! You'd better not think of taking any days off. We need the money! Go!"

Naruto assured the man that he wouldn't take a day off and ushered him back out of the room. Then he turned to Sasuke. "Ok then, teme. I have to go. I'll be back by lunch time, see if I can buy some groceries, and all. Bye then."

Sasuke watched him skip out of the door and smiled to himself. He'd like to get to know this Uzumaki Naruto…his savior."  
--------------------------------------------------------------------

A/N: I'm stopping here. I just need to see the kind of response I get for this fic. Ja ne!

Taka


End file.
